5 Reasons Why Intuition Fools You

5 Reasons Why Intuition Fools You

Followers of intuitive nutrition claim that it helps to maintain and maintain the desired weight. Together with a nutritionist, we understand why this approach does not always work in a modern metropolis.

Intuitive nutrition came to us from the West, where, according to various estimates, it gained strength over 20-30 years (it is believed that the three American women who wrote the first official book on emotional dependence on food were the discoverers of the system). In the 2000s, when the focus of attention from universal diets was shifted to individuality and a sensitive attitude to one’s own needs, the approach became especially popular.

The meaning of intuitive nutrition is that hunger is the only reasonable reason for eating. Hungry – you eat, but only in this case, and in no other way. The main advantage of such a catering arrangement is the absence of strict restrictions (the main rule is no rules). This is not only pleasant, but also justified: as soon as we begin to restrict ourselves in something (the amount of food or certain types of products), we immediately want to break the forbidden borders. Intuitive nutrition does not require counting calories and maintaining a food diary (if you really want chocolate or a bun, you can eat it) and therefore it seems an ideal way to keep weight in shape. But, as practice shows, not everything is so simple.

Why nowadays recklessly rely only on the desires of the body? Modern manufacturers of sweets and fast food “add” people to donuts, hamburgers and other goodies as a drug, using special combinations of ingredients and tastes (for example, a certain balance of salty and sweet). Such food activates the pleasure center in the brain, and we want to experience the same sensations again and again. Gradually, the consumption of products that are not the most healthy for health changes from a single to a regular discharge, becomes a habit, and addiction develops. Can a person trust the SOS signals from the body that he needs a chocolate muffin or a bag of chips? Of course not. Below we list the main reasons that work against intuitive nutrition, forcing to gain extra pounds.

1. Do not follow what we eat
Before: a few thousand years ago, getting food was not easy (sometimes quite dangerous), but the food itself was as healthy as possible. Our distant ancestors received with food a large amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (fish and seafood, seeds), fiber (vegetables, fruits, roots), essential vitamins and minerals. Moreover, the glycemic load on the body was minimal: they received simple sugars in a small amount and only from natural sources (fruits, roots, wild honey).

Now: nutritional features of modern man – an abundance of refined products (sweets, polished cereals, packaged juices, instant cereals), lack of fiber, a large amount of trans fats and toxic additives (all kinds of E), excess salts. All this complicates the control of eating behavior: it is difficult to resist and not to eat a “tasty treat”.

2. We eat on the run
Before: the meal was taking place slowly, the whole family gathered at the table, eating slowly and intently. Sometimes a prayer was read before meals. In many cultures it was generally accepted to eat silently. In this case, it was possible to listen to the desires of your body, and already during the meal, get “feedback” from the brain about satiety.

Now: the pace of life has increased, and we began to spend very little time on food. Many eat on the run, in haste, not regularly, preferring instant food. In such circumstances, it is difficult to objectively assess why you wanted a hamburger, because for this at least you need to take a break and ask yourself a few questions (what are the sensations in your body, what is your emotional state, can you change your state without resorting to “junk” food )

3. Confuse hunger with appetite
There is nothing wrong with that we want to enjoy food: this is our nervous system – delicious dishes trigger the release of “hormones of pleasure”. It is bad when we abuse this feature of eating behavior. Food is one of the most affordable pleasures, so it’s easier to cheer up by eating a cake than taking a walk. We get a substitution of concepts: with the intuitive need of the body for a certain product, we confuse appetite – the desire to enjoy food (most often beloved, but harmful – sausages, chips or sweets). Hunger is a specific signal for what you need to eat. It is accompanied by specific physical reactions of the body (rumbling in the stomach, sucking under the spoon), and in this case you will be happy with green salad, and lean soup, and a piece of brown bread.

4. Do not control hormones
Intuitive nutrition while losing weight is completely ineffective. What is the reason for this? With each kilogram lost, the amount of energy that the body needs to “live” in a new weight is reduced. True, the body does not immediately understand this: the synthesis of hormones that control appetite has not yet been rebuilt in a new way. You need to prepare for the fact that the more you lose weight, the more the brain will “force” you to eat. Trusting intuition at this time, you risk consuming more calories than necessary. So without control of the energy value of the diet when losing weight, alas, can not do.

5. Forget about vitamins
Reason: due to the peculiarities of growing, storing and transporting vegetables and fruits, we cannot fully receive all the vitamins and microelements necessary for the body. If today you are not taking additional complexes, then most likely your body is deficient in a number of micronutrients.

Consequence: an unconscious desire to get the missing substances with food. In this case, you begin to literally eat up everything that is bad … It is very difficult to control such a craving. In this case, you need, first of all, to deal with what vitamins and minerals you are missing, which means it’s time to see a nutritionist.